Hello, this might be already suggested but wouldn’t float values (like 01.50) in “edit step” make it possible to quickly insert triplets and such instead of messing manually with delay column (this functionality would automatically insert proper delay value)? This would partially release users from rigid grid too (at least before free positioning gets implemented)?
plus one
Mm how? My fault probably but I can’t see how to type triplets (or such) with either.
The arpeggiator also allows you to set up a custom notescheme. This is usually necessary with percussion elements where you need the same note.
The minimum distance between notes can be set to delay which means that your custom note scheme will be layed out on the same row with a certain fixed delay value.
The custom distance pattern unfortunately only applies line-values.
If you need various note-schemes, the arpeggiator may be a bit ackward to use preprogrammed schemes that you have to change all the time.
You can then simply insert the notes in each column on the same row and use the strum tool afterwards to apply the delay values of length onto it.
If you need a more flexible delay value scheme to put up groovy perhaps the lauflicht stepsequencer might do the deal for you:
http://tools.renoise.com/tools/step-sequencer-lauflicht
Anyway, the sources of all these tools can be used to be extended or used to create a tool more close to this need.
Mm, I just wanted a simple method for typing notes between lines for triplets and experimentation (instead of calculating lines and delay values manually). Can a script take control over typical linestep when inputting notes with keyboard? If so, I’ve to learn some Lua.
A result with linestep of 1.5 for example:
C-4
D#4 80
G-4
C-4 80
just in case you haven’t tried this yet…
LPB to six or three or something.
That’s the way to do it without requiring LUA knowledge.
Okay, guess that’s a “no” then.
edit: but I still claim such feature would be useful and interesting in other ways than just triplets
Having fractional edit step would be a pain in the ass to implement, to be quite honest.
However, I’m making you a basic tool to easily insert triplets (and other fractional notes) into the pattern, which you can trigger with a simple key binding. I’ll post it here later when it’s ready.
Wow that was unexpected, thanks a bunch! I didn’t realize fractional step would be hard to implement, I vaguely imagined it as a float counter which would round down to nearest line number, have the decimals set as delay and get reset when cursor gets moved manually or some such.
From a conceptual point of view it’s not that complex, as you rightly point out, but Renoise’s pattern structure and interface just isn’t designed to work that way, so I think there’d still be a lot of potential for confusion and weird behaviour.
Making that kind of fundamental change to the behaviour of the pattern editor itself would require a lot of careful planning and consideration, whereas writing a script to automatically insert a few notes and apply some delays is exponentially more straightforward 
This tool has been moved to its own thread:
Pretty straightforward stuff. If you want to insert triplets, then set Beats to 1 and Divisions to 3.
The tool will generate notes wherever the cursor is positioned in the pattern editor, ranging over a certain number of pattern lines based on the number of beats you choose (and your LPB setting). If there is a note under the cursor then it will be used as the template for the other generated notes, otherwise it will default to the current instrument selected in Renoise and the note you set in the tool’s GUI. Depending on the settings you choose it may be necessary to use multiple note columns to fit everything in, so the tool will automatically expand the track to handle this if necessary.
Be warned: Any existing note data within range of the tool will be deleted!
Can be triggered via Context Menu:
- Pattern Editor > Track > Fractional Notes (Show GUI)
or via Key Bindings:
- Pattern Editor > Track > Fractional Notes (Show GUI)
- Pattern Editor > Track > Fractional Notes
The second key binding will generate notes without showing the GUI, and will repeat whatever settings you previously selected.
I just quickly threw this thing together, so it may still be a little quirky. Have a play around with it and see how it feels. I’m open to suggestions (within reason) for tweaking how it works.
Thanks, it’s the next best thing apart from actually having floating-point edit step (and I guess a good way to prototype such a feature if it would ever appear).
Two suggestions that popped to mind was that it might be useful to use note under cursor and another (non-trivial) was that it could remap a selection (existing notes with their velocities) to new positions (or groove-quantize?). But I’ll tell if any actually sensible suggestions pop up.
Thanks again for the effort, it’s appreciated!
Done. Check the v1.01 update above
If there is a note under the cursor then it will be used, otherwise the tool will default to the current instrument.
That’s something for another day perhaps. I have been thinking about this already though.
Sweet, thanks! 
Thx for the tool, this lua is nice thing, im still in scripting manual and i understand nothing 
win!
Can do some nice things robotic beats with this like setting beats to 1 and division to 64, use a multisampled drum kit and stamp in the different instrument notes according to how you want the beat programmed in the pattern editor. Then use pattern commands for effects (for example 9XX using different offsets on every line) and, or use the note randomizer script for instant panic attack.
Great tool, I’ve been experimenting with polymeters and polyrhythms more and more and this makes things a bit more managable. Thanks
I was going to start a new thread on the following suggestion but since the suggestion was born out of using dblue’s Fractional Notes, I figured I’d post here instead.
My suggestion is to have some sort of flash or LED like indicator when notes are triggered on a selected track. Maybe a flashing mode for the track scopes with color options per note ?
I wanted to play what I programmed on my guitar, so I replaced a bass syncopated polyrhythm with a hi hat and dropped the last hi hat note before the loop an octave down to indicate position in time. It was great all together, how my listening was constantly shifting from ignoring the percussive tempo whilst playing another tempo, then listening to it all and feeling the push and pull groove.
Anyway, it would be cool to view Fractional Notes for instance as a flash like metronome or indicator so I could keep track and play one ratio of a polyrhythm and not get pulled into the other ratio of a polyrhythm.